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The past is important, but the future is what matters

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Illinois

* Notice anything missing here?…

Richard Goldberg has accused Democrats of not being able to count, blasted their questions as “hypocritical” and their hearings as “shams” — and he was once booted out of a committee hearing by Democratic legislators.

But Gov. Bruce Rauner insisted Wednesday that his newly promoted chief of staff does not have a “toxic” relationship with the opposition party. […]

A year ago, Democrats kicked Goldberg — then Rauner’s deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs — out of a Committee of the Whole meeting. House Speaker Mike Madigan later told reporters that his members were just enforcing an “established rule” that barred aides to the governor from circulating with representative during committee hearings. […]

Goldberg also butted heads with Democrats last year when they called him before a House committee to testify about why Rauner’s education secretary’s $250,000 annual salary was being paid out of the Department of Human Resources, whose budget is designed to help the state’s most vulnerable.

What’s missing is anything from the past couple of months.

Goldberg has deliberately toned things down. He’s even received some high marks for civility from Democratic legislators. Subscribers know more on this topic, but I think his appointment announcement has been a catalyst to maybe getting something done by the end of the fiscal year.

* Nobody, but nobody, covered Goldberg’s antics more than I did here. This blog published every memo, every comment, every whatever from him when most other political sites barely mentioned his name.

So, I say give the guy a chance to prove himself in a new position before we burn him in effigy. As chief, he’ll no longer be “run” by anyone else. Nobody will be pushing him out there to say or do things because he’ll be the big dog.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:08 pm

Comments

“Calmer than you are”

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:13 pm
===So, I say give the guy a chance to prove himself in a new position before we burn him in effigy. As chief, he’ll no longer be “run” by anyone else. Nobody will be pushing him out there to say or do things because he’ll be the big dog.===

Agreed.

Also, it really important to note Goldberg was doing what he was told, not going off the reservation.

If any are upset at Goldberg, maybe they should target their “frustration” with the Governor. Goldberg was following orders and not fulfilling the traditional Legislative Liaison role.

My frustration and “anger”, as I’ve said numerous, numerous times, is in complete and perfect proportion with why I like him, making him my unequivocal favorite.

I wish him well, as I wished “Z” well.

Understanding the players is one thing, understanding who is calling the plays is another.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:16 pm
We can all learn from our own actions and words. Maybe he took some comments and put them into action?
Only time will tell.

Comment by Belle Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:20 pm
The man played an assigned role. I will give him a shot in the new role.
But for now, I will give no credence to the person behind the persona.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:21 pm
I am going to miss the old Goldberg. The newer, kinder gentler version lacks the verve and entertainment of the captain of snark.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:22 pm
If Goldberg is the Big Dog, what is the role of the Chief Operating Officer?

I’m at a loss for these seeming redundancies. A chief operating officer and a chief of staff…. a state superintendent of education and an “education secretary”—- a deputy chief of staff for policy and a “director of government transformation”… a communications director and a press secretary…..

Are they loading up an ark over there, waiting on the Big Storm?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:24 pm
Honeybear, I have to ask.. You’ve commented countless times about the value of state workers, and I agree. But as a state worker yourself, how do you find the time to read and comment on every single post on this site, often within minutes?

Comment by What Exactly Is It That You Do Here Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:27 pm
===A chief operating officer and a chief of staff…. a state superintendent of education and an “education secretary”—- a deputy chief of staff for policy and a “director of government transformation”… a communications director and a press secretary…===

We can beat them, just for one day
We can be heroes, just for one day

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:27 pm
- What Exactly Is It That You Do Here @1:27:

Bruce- is that you?

Comment by Roadypig Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:34 pm
The problem to me is that Rauner’s approach is to govern like he’s campaigning which involves a whole lot of scorched earth attacks on Democrats, and then he turns around and expects Democrats to make huge concessions to him and trust him in cutting a deal.

It’s a recipe for continued impasse, not actual progress, and elevating Goldberg after his scorched earth approach to his former job, is just indicative of this failed approach by Rauner.

Comment by slow down Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:37 pm
- What Exactly Is It That You Do Here @1:27:

One of the reasons I won’t pick a handle and use it here.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:40 pm
“how do you find the time to read and comment on every single post on this site, often within minutes?:
==================================================
She doesn’t.
Not even close to every single post.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:45 pm
The ball is in his court. Now we’ll see how he plays it.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:46 pm
WEV. not inclined to give any cookies for things that should be automatic. like decency.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:48 pm
He might have toned it down a bit lately, but his occasional challenging tone and rhetoric might be better suited to his new role than his previous one. He’s landed in a better place.

Comment by walker Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:49 pm
===One of the reasons I won’t pick a handle and use it here.===

… that, and foolish ignorance? ” - Anonymous - “…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:57 pm
Although I agree that Goldberg was just saying what he was told to say, the tone he used while saying it wasn’t (can’t be) preprogrammed. There’s nothing wrong with staying on message. Staying on message with a vengeance is another matter. These intangible aspects to communication, the tone delivered and the body language assumed, mean as much or more than the actual words being uttered.

Remember, I’m not a political insider — just a mom and a born-and-raised Illinois citizen — but I perceive as much as I’m able. I think about people like Tim Nuding, who has stayed on target with the governor’s messaging, yet almost always manages to do it with a respectful demeanor. It’s possible.

I’d love to be wrong about Goldberg. I’ll be the first to admit it, too. We are long overdue for a refreshing new zeitgeist.

Comment by Dome Gnome Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:57 pm
Just cause he’s changed his tune, it doesn’t change who he is - he’s already shown his real colors. If he didn’t want people to have that opinion of him, he should of thought of that before all of his antics.

Siding with him now feels like Stockholm syndrome

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 1:58 pm
I’d give him a chance, but I also wouldn’t forget.

Comment by Delimma Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:07 pm
Rauner choice, he does have the right to choose his own staff. Any ugliness does reflect back to him, so it’s up to him to control the tone of the messaging.

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:07 pm
There is not a good thing to say about this decision but somehow Rich you have spun this into a positive, wow I’m dizzy.

Comment by Obamas Puppy Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:22 pm
He’s there. It’s a new role, so there will probably be a newer approach. It’s not like the members of the other party are shrinking violets. He should do fine.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:36 pm
Yet another reset for the Rauner team — “THIS TIME we’ve learned from our mistakes! THIS TIME we’ll be reasonable and civil!! THIS TIME we’re gonna compromise!!! THIS TIME we’ll tell the truth and negotiate in good faith!!1!”

Oh, sure. You bet.

“The key is to obscure your intentions and make them unpredictable to your opponent while you simultaneously clarify his intentions. *** In very simple terms, be unpredictable.”

After a while, the back-end of these OODA Loops all start looking the same…

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:42 pm
I understand why people called him the Prince of Snarkness but IMHO his antics went from being clever to just dreadfully tiring like an old, stale joke. To each his own. Hopefully, he’s much improved in his new role.

Comment by CrazyHorse Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:51 pm
Call me old-fashioned but I don’t believe a leopard can change it’s spots. I don’t see Democrats trusting / dealing with Goldberg on any more than a superficial level.

Comment by Stones Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 2:54 pm
“As chief, he’ll no longer be “run” by anyone else. Nobody will be pushing him out there to say or do things because he’ll be the big dog.”

That may be, but he’s still on someone’s leash. Rauner is still the “master of the hunt” and blows the horn.

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 3:25 pm
==The key is to obscure your intentions and make them unpredictable to your opponent while you simultaneously clarify his intentions.==

MrJM, I have to tell you that this OODA Loop business of yours has been very useful to me as a way of understanding what is happening and why. Sad to say, it’s the only mental framework I’ve found which serves as a unifying theory. Jaded, but true.

Comment by Dome Gnome Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 3:53 pm
Just about anyone can be nice for a day or two or three. Conversely, anyone can not be nice for a day or two or three. Time will tell which he is. But one’s true disposition eventually shows through.

Comment by Joe M Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 4:14 pm
“Honeybear, I have to ask.. You’ve commented countless times about the value of state workers, and I agree. But as a state worker yourself, how do you find the time to read and comment on every single post on this site, often within minutes?”

You don’t know someone’s shifts. You don’t know if someone is on a 4 day or 9 day flex. You don’t know if they are on leave or using ABT. You don’t know if they are on breaks or lunch. For all you know Honeybear could be working the 3rd shift at Chester or some other 24/7 facility.

Someone people create a whole separate online persona because they fear retaliation. Not that this governor would ever stoop to such a thing…

Comment by steward Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 5:35 pm
Oswego - I’d really prefer you not use the phrase “off the reservation.” Thanks.

Comment by Filmmaker Professor Thursday, Jun 16, 16 @ 7:52 pm
Mr Goldberg your behavior has been unbecoming an officer, change is hard show your intelligence (this is not hogan’s heroes)

Comment by Rabid Friday, Jun 17, 16 @ 6:03 am